Armed Forces: Housing

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many of his Department's properties managed by Modern Housing Solutions have reached the EcoHomes06 standard of  (a) pass,  (b) good,  (c) very good and  (d) excellent;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost to Modern Housing Solutions of upgrading properties it manages under contract to his Department to the energy efficiency standards laid out in the EcoHomes06 sustainability model.

Kevan Jones: Given that the Ministry of Defence has only recently started to use the EcoHomes06 Standard for major Service Family Accommodation (SFA) improvement projects in England and Wales, no data are yet available. Work to verify assessments for recently completed upgrade projects is under way. No assessment has been made of the cost to upgrade all SFA to the EcoHomes06 Standard.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the negative level of retail price index inflation in September 2009 will have on the level of armed forces pensions in the next 12 months.

Kevan Jones: holding answer 11 January 2010
	Public service pension upratings are linked by primary legislation to those for additional state pensions, such as the state second pension, and the uprating in April 2010 will take account of the rate of inflation over the year to September 2009. As announced at the pre-Budget report 2008, legislation governing uprating for additional state pensions means that in the event of a negative Retail Price Index (RPI), benefit rates will be protected at least in nominal terms (i.e. not reduced on account of deflation), thereby providing an increase in support in real terms. The RPI change for September 2009 was minus 1.4 per cent., therefore benefits will remain at current levels.

Baltic States: Military Aircraft

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what air policing cover is in place to assist in fulfilling NATO's commitment to the Baltic states.

Bob Ainsworth: The Baltic States receive the same level of protection and security as all NATO nations. They provide their own Air Surveillance and Command and Control capabilities to support the air policing mission. Fighter aircraft are generated and deployed to the Baltic States by other NATO nations.

Departmental ICT

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of computer  (a) hacking,  (b) fraud and  (c) theft his Department recorded in each of the last five years.

Kevan Jones: The MOD takes any attacks on, or misuse of, its information networks and associated media storage devices very seriously and has robust procedures in place to mitigate against and investigate such occurrences. Furthermore, new processes, instructions and technological aids are continually being implemented to mitigate human errors and raise the awareness of every individual in the Department with regards to cyber security.
	It is not in the public interest or in the interests of the UK's national security for this Department to release any information regarding any hacking attempts on its IT systems as this would enable individuals to deduce how successful these efforts are against the network and so assist such persons in establishing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences.
	Within MOD, there have been no recorded incidents of the perpetration of fraud where an IT system was a material factor. Although a number of suspected incidents have been investigated, statistics relating to those submitted on-line via IT-based systems could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table shows the number of official issued desktops and laptops centrally reported as stolen from the Department from 2005 to 2009. Figures will continue to be adjusted to incorporate subsequent recoveries of items, the reporting of additional thefts and subsequent clarification of historic incidents. The following figures reflect the latest data held as of 14 January 2010.
	
		
			  Stolen computers 2005 to 2009 
			   Desktop  Laptop 
			 2009 20 78 
			 2008 9 87 
			 2007 13 101 
			 2006 28 170 
			 2005 27 130 
			 Total 97 566

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what recent assessment the Electoral Commission has made of progress in increasing the number of voters registered in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Gary Streeter: The Commission informs me that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects and publishes annual electoral registration data showing the number of entries on the local government and parliamentary registers. The most recent figures are for the electoral registers on 1 December 2008 and show an increase in the number of entries on the registers since 1 December 2007, as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Type of election  Entries on the electoral registers-December 2007  Entries on the electoral registers-December 2008  Increase  Percentage increase 
			 Local government 45,920,503 46,147,877 227,374 0.5 
			 Parliamentary 45,082,854 45,194,449 111,595 0.2 
		
	
	The ONS is due to publish figures for the 1 December 2009 electoral registers in February 2010.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will place in the Library a copy of the results from her Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of the survey to her Department was.

Michael Jabez Foster: The Government Equalities Office undertook its last staff survey in November 2009 as part of a cross-Government initiative and we expect to receive our results on 28 January 2010. Following internal analysis and communication we will publish our results together with any improvement steps on our external GEO website. ORC International undertook the cross-Government survey and we are yet to receive our invoice, we have estimated the cost at £13,000.

Religious Buildings: Registration

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 7 January 2010,  Official Report, column 524W, on religious buildings: registration, what the policy of the Government Equalities Office is on the application of the 1970 Court of Appeal Segerdal case to public authorities in respect of religious worship which does not involve reverence to a deity.

Michael Jabez Foster: Domestic discrimination, for which the Government Equalities Office is responsible, defines religion or belief as
	"any religion or any religious or philosophical belief or any lack of such religion or belief".
	The question of whether any exemption from paying rates on a building which may be a place of public religious worship, which is what the Segerdal case is concerned with, remains a matter for the Valuation Office Agency and will be unaffected by the provisions of discrimination law.

Better Off in Work Credit Guarantee

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of people who would be eligible for each benefit under the Better Off in Work Credit guarantee; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the financial modelling undertaken by or on behalf of her Department in respect of this policy.

Jim Knight: Under the current tax and benefit systems, the combination of the minimum wage, tax credits and other targeted support such as the in work credit and return to work credit provide gains to work in excess of £40 a week for the vast majority of individuals.
	As a consequence, when the better off in work credit (BWC) is rolled out nationally, of those who move from benefits to work in each year, we expect only a small minority-no more than around 100,000 a year-to qualify for the BWC.
	Most recipients of BWC are likely to be under the age of 50 and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance. Some customers will also be in receipt of support for mortgage interest payments.
	A copy of the White Paper, Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment, is in the Library. The impact assessment for the White Paper explains the fiscal and economic costs and benefits of introducing the BWC. A copy of the impact assessment has been placed in the Library.

Carer's Allowance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of recipients of carers' allowance likely to be affected by an increase in the earnings limit; and when she expects to implement this policy.

Jonathan R Shaw: The carer's allowance earnings limit will be increased from £95 to £100 in April 2010. In the impact assessment published alongside the Employment White Paper 'Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment', we estimated that up to 40,000 carer's allowance recipients could benefit.

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of full-time equivalent mental health co-ordinators who will need to be recruited as part of the national network in Jobcentre Plus; when she expects such recruitment to commence; and when she expects the national network to be fully operational nationwide.

Jonathan R Shaw: Each of the 48 Jobcentre Plus districts currently has a Mental Health Co-ordinator in post. The posts were launched on 7 December 2009, and provide a tangible example of "Working our way to better mental health: a framework for action and realising ambitions: Better employment support for people with a mental health condition" in action.
	The recent White Paper made a commitment to doubling the capacity of the Mental Health Co-ordinators, providing one full-time equivalent Co-ordinator in each district. This will further extend and embed the role of the Co-ordinators. The extended role is expected to be in place across the network from April.

Winter Fuel Payments

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in  (a) the UK and  (b) Milton Keynes received the winter fuel allowance in 2008-09.

Angela Eagle: In winter 2008-09 12.3 million people received a winter fuel payment in Great Britain (information regarding Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office). 17,350 people received payments in Milton Keynes South-West constituency and 16,810 people received payments in Milton Keynes North-East constituency.
	 Notes:
	1. Payment figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.

Work Choice and Access to Work schemes

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what steps her Department is taking to expand the Work Choice and Access to Work schemes; what additional funding her Department is making available for this purpose; and what estimate she has made of the number of people expected to participate as a consequence of the expansion of the schemes.

Jonathan R Shaw: As stated in Chapter 4 of the White Paper, "Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment" (December 2009),
	"we will increase funding for our specialist disability employment programmes supporting those with the greatest needs into work."
	We will set out further details in due course.

Gaming Machines

Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2010,  Official Report, column 391W, on the Gambling Act 2005, if he will assess the merits of bringing forward proposals on the availability of higher prizes on gaming machines in commercial snooker and pool clubs for consideration separate from his Department's planned review of Category B gaming machines; and if he will discuss that matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There are a range of issues relating to category B gaming machines which need to be considered together to ensure that the cumulative impact of any changes is fully taken into account. It is therefore right that we consider proposals on the availability of higher prizes on gaming machines in commercial snooker and pool clubs as part of my Department's review of category B gaming machines.
	Any subsequent consultation document outlining proposals for the future would, in the usual way, be accompanied by a draft impact assessment setting out their merits and any potential risks.
	I have no plans to discuss this matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Common Land: Property Development

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for High Peak of 14 December 2009,  Official Report, column 646W, on common land: property development, whether the planned consultation on registration of village greens will consider restrictions on the ability to register a village green.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We are considering a wide range of options for inclusion in the consultation paper, some of which will relate to the criteria for registration of new town or village greens.

Dairy Farming: Manpower

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of dairy farmers in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2009.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 14 January 2010
	 Changes in the number of farmers is just one element of the structural changes that have taken place in the sector. The long-term trend in dairy production is towards fewer, larger and more productive herds. The following table provides the fuller picture on the structural changes in the sector and shows how the decline in the number of dairy farms and dairy farmers has been offset by an increase in average herd size and milk yields.
	The number of principal farmers on dairy holdings is not yet available for 2009. The decrease in the numbers of dairy farmers in England between 1997 and 2008 (-34 per cent.) is less than the fall in the number of holdings with dairy cows between 2008 and 2009 (-48 per cent.). This reflects a rise in the average number of farmers per farm over the period as the average farm size has increased.
	However, the numbers of dairy cows has decreased by less (-30 per cent.), reflecting a rise in the average herd size, and (at the UK level) milk yields have increased by 22 per cent. over the period, so that total UK milk production has fallen by 8 per cent. between 1997 and 2009.
	
		
			   Number of dairy farms in England  Number of farmers on dairy holdings in England  Number of dairy cows in England (thousand)   
			   (a)  (b)  (a)  (b)  (a)  (b)  UK milk production (million litres) (c)  Average UK milk yield (litres per cow per year) 
			 1997 - 18,007 - 35,104 - 1,702 14,419 5,790 
			 1998 - 17,014 - 34,405 - 1,660 14,213 5,775 
			 1999 - 16,313 - 33,216 - 1,661 14,580 5,964 
			 2000 - 15,219 - 31,418 - 1,576 14,071 5,979 
			 2001 - 14,293 - 30,178 - 1,490 14,284 6,346 
			 2002 - 14,537 - 30,425 - 1,462 14,440 6,493 
			 2003 - 13,770 - 28,918 - 1,435 14,576 6,621 
			 2004 - 13,264 - 28,057 - 1,374 14,127 6,763 
			 2005 - 12,918 - 26,168 - 1,311 14,052 6,986 
			 2006 11,522 11,079 22,483 25,706 1,259 1,290 13,902 6,977 
			 2007 10,907 - 21,082 - 1,236 - 13,619 6,913 
			 2008 10,331 - 20,122 - 1,199 - 13,319 6,943 
			 2009 9,805 n/a n/a - 1,163 - 13,208 7,084 
			  
			 Percentage change between 1997 and 2009 (d) -48  -34  -30  -8 22 
			 n/a = Not yet available  Notes: (a) Sourced from the Cattle Tracing System (CTS). Defined as the number of holdings on 1 June each year with more than 10 dairy cows in the milking herd. CTS became the main source of cattle data from 2006 onwards. Results prior to this were sourced from the June Survey of Agriculture but are not directly comparable. (b) Sourced from the June Survey of Agriculture. (c) Sourced from DEFRA and RPA statistics. (d) Allows for the break in series in 2006 with the switch to the CTS. For the number of dairy farmers the change is between 1997 and 2008.

Dairy Farming: Staffordshire

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance his Department has provided to dairy farmers in Staffordshire as a result of the entry into administration of Dairy Farmers of Britain.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We worked closely with Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFoB) Members Council, the Receivers (PricewaterhouseCoopers) and others towards our common goal of minimising the impacts of those affected, particularly farmer members of DFoB including those in Staffordshire, following DFoB's entry into administration last June.
	We ensured that all available assistance was given to those facing difficulties. This included advice from DFoB Members Council, the Receiver, National Farmers Union and Regional Development Agencies. For example, Business Link's Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme and HMRC's Business Payment Support Service, which might enable those affected to defer certain tax and national insurance payments. The Secretary of State also wrote to both the British Bankers' Association and the Agricultural Industries Confederation to ask their members to consider any short term cash flow problems faced by farmers sympathetically. In the succeeding weeks, 97 per cent. of the 1,813 active DFoB members found new contracts and buyers for their milk.
	Dairy farmers, including those in Staffordshire, are eligible for payments under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). The Rural Payments Agency has made continued progress in making more timely SPS payments and this has helped farmers' cash flow, with around £1.5 billion (just under 78 per cent.) paid by the end of December under the 2009 scheme.
	In addition, dairy farmers are eligible for funding under DEFRA's £600 million Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13. This includes over £107 million which is being targeted specifically at the livestock sector to help it meet the particular challenges that it faces. Through this, Advantage West Midlands are able to assist farmers through capital investments to increase competitiveness or diversification into other activities.

Livestock: Tagging

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the agricultural industry of cross-compliance inspections carried out by  (a) the Rural Payments Agency,  (b) the Environment Agency,  (c) Animal Health,  (d) the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and  (e) his Department under (i) cattle and (ii) sheep identification rules in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 14 January 2010
	No estimate has been made of the cost to the agricultural industry of the cross compliance cattle and sheep inspections. However, with regard to these inspections, farmers need not do anything more than they are already required to do by the pre-existing cattle and sheep legislation.
	Farmers are not charged for the costs of an inspection but may incur some costs in terms of time spent with inspectors. Significant non-compliance with EU cross compliance requirements may result in additional inspections and/or the reduction or exclusion of their single payment scheme claim. For individual farmers, the costs of these will vary depending on the degree of non-compliance.

Rural Payments Agency: Labour Turnover

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people  (a) entered and  (b) left the employment of the Rural Payments Agency in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 14 January 2010
	 The number of people that have entered and left the employment of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Staff type  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  Total 
			  Entered employment
			 Casual staff 506 240 72 0 0 0 818 
			 Fixed term appointment 10 332 879 304 106 0 1,631 
			 Permanent 48 234 108 258 30 0 678 
			 Total 564 806 1,059 562 136 0 3,127 
			 
			  Left employment
			 Casual staff 440 378 170 33 1 0 1,022 
			 Fixed term appointment 167 84 306 392 237 3 1,189 
			 Permanent 555 209 148 160 218 4 1,294 
			 Total 1,162 671 624 585 456 7 3,505 
		
	
	Casual and fixed term appointment staff are those who have a contract with a fixed end date. The term "casual staff" ceased to be used in light of regulatory changes to ensure equitable treatment of fixed term staff.
	The reduction in permanent staff entering the agency, coupled with the increase in numbers of permanent staff leaving, is in line with the agency's strategy to reduce its headcount as part of efficiency savings and to ensure the agency has the right skills at the right grade and location to maximise its use of resources.
	The increase in permanent staff entering in 2008 was due to a one-off exercise to strengthen the agency's experience and reduce reliance on temporary roles and more expensive contractors by converting high numbers of temporary staff roles into fewer, permanent roles.
	RPA constantly reviews all resources in line with its business requirements. As part of normal business practice the agency has employed staff on a temporary, fixed-term basis to assist with specific tasks linked to the cyclical nature of scheme payments. This included work on the single payment scheme particularly in the early years after its introduction.

Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many proposals for  (a) special areas of conservation and  (b) special protection areas in the UK offshore marine environment beyond the 12 nautical mile limit the Government have submitted to the European Commission since November 1999.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Five proposals for Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) beyond 12 nautical miles have been submitted to the European Commission since November 1999. These include: the Darwin Mounds off the North West coast of Scotland, Haig Fras off the South West coast of England and Stanton Banks off the West coast of Scotland which protect reefs, and Scanner Pockmark and Braemar Pockmarks in the Northern North Sea, which both protect submarine structures made by leaking gases. These sites were all submitted the European Commission in August 2008. To date, no Special Protection Areas (SPAs) beyond 12 nautical miles have been submitted to the European Commission.

Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated research on the (i) potential risks to health and (ii) other effects of chlorpromazine hydrochloride in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Chlorpromazine belongs to a class of drugs called antipsychotics which are mainly used to treat mental health conditions including schizophrenia and other psychoses.
	The safety, efficacy and quality of each medicine, including chlorpromazine hydrochloride is thoroughly evaluated as part of the licensing procedure by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and monitored throughout the lifecycle of the medicine. Prescribing guidance for healthcare professionals to optimise the safe use of antipsychotics is contained within the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for the medicines and is also available in the British National Formulary distributed to doctors and pharmacists; this information is reflected in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) that should accompany the medicine. Guidance on the use of antipsychotics has also been issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
	Since the marketing of chlorpromazine, the MHRA in conjunction with its independent scientific advisory committee, the Commission on Human Medicines and its predecessors, has kept the safety of chlorpromazine and other antipsychotics under close review. In recent years, emerging safety data has been considered on a number of occasions by the MHRA at a European level with particular focus on the effects of antipsychotics on the heart, the risk of stroke in the elderly and the risk of venous thromboembolic events. As a result of these reviews, the SmPC and the PIL for antipsychotics have been updated accordingly to reflect the findings of these reviews. The MHRA has also informed healthcare professionals and patients of the outcome of these reviews and the updated prescribing guidance through the regular drug safety bulletin, Drug Safety Update, and information posted on the MHRA website.

Health Services: Preston

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of NHS waiting list times in Preston since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: Data showing the median in-patient and out-patient waiting times for the Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and their predecessor organisations for the dates where data is available has been placed in the Library.
	In addition, referral to treatment medians and performance figures are as follows:
	 Admitted (adjusted)
	Central Lancashire PCT: 6.1 weeks, 94.2 per cent.
	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 7.6 weeks, 93.4 per cent.
	 Non-admitted
	Central Lancashire PCT: 4.6 weeks, 97.0 per cent.
	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 4.5 weeks, 97.1 per cent.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 5 January 2010,  Official Report, column 90W, on Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: tolls, what the evidential basis is for the assertion that traffic levels between 06.00 and 22.00 generally exceed the crossing's capacity; if he will place in the Library a copy of the data on which that assertion is based; and to which EU directives he made reference in the answer.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport's consultation document on proposed changes to charges at the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing (December 2006), included information on the traffic levels at the Crossing which was the evidence upon which proposals for the timing of charges was based. A copy of this document is available from the Library of the House.
	In April 2009, the Department also published the Dartford River Crossing Study into Capacity Requirements which includes later analysis of vehicle flows at the Dartford Crossing. This report is available from the Department's website at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/capacityrequirements/dartfordrivercrossing/
	and a copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.
	European Union Directive 1999/62/EC, as modified by European Union Directives 2006/38/EC and 2006/103/EC, applies to the levying of certain tolls and user charges on heavy goods vehicles. EU Directive 1999/62/EC was transposed into UK law by the "Eurovignette Regulations" (The Heavy Goods Vehicles (Charging for the Use of Certain Infrastructure on the Trans-European Road Network) Regulations 2009, SI 2009/1914) which contain an exemption for non-discriminatory road user charging schemes specifically designed to combat time and place related traffic congestion, as at the Dartford Crossing.

Driving Standards Agency: Internet

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much the Driving Standards Agency has spent on  (a) Twitter and  (b) other online communications systems in each of the last three years.

Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has spent the following on  (a) Twitter and  (b) other online communication systems in the last three years:
	(a) Twitter-DSA established a free Twitter presence in May 2009. The Agency is not required to pay for this facility.
	(b) The costs DSA corporate website (dsa.gov.uk) are shown in the following table. These costs include web-hosting, site security, the use of online media to deliver public consultations, development of online communication to increase take-up of DSA's online services and to make available corporate information.
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 2006-07 95,841.35 
			 2007-08 63,214.03 
			 2008-09 112,006.37 
		
	
	In addition, DSA has online communication costs for:
	"A Learning to Drive" online marketing campaign was run at a cost of £11,690 (during 2007-2008).
	A five month marketing campaign to promote the Agency's "Enhanced Rider Scheme" (ERS) at a cost of £52,940, in 2009.
	DSA is currently trialling a new email alert system from GovDelivery at a cost of £5,000.

Driving Tests: Wisbech

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the net effects on his Department's expenditure will be of relocation of the Wisbech driving test centre to Kings Lynn in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

Paul Clark: The Wisbech Driving Test Centre is planned to remain operational until 31 March 2010, so there will be no savings associated with its relocation to Kings Lynn in this financial year.
	In future years the Driving Standards Agency will save the accommodation costs for Wisbech-currently £11,386 per annum, and the costs of examiners travelling from Kings Lynn to Wisbech to conduct driving tests as Wisbech did not have permanent staff assigned-currently £5,100 per annum.
	A test centre providing facilities to conduct the off-road element of the new practical motorcycling test required by European legislation was needed to serve the Kings Lynn and Wisbech area.
	We want to maximise the benefit from the costs invested in providing the new facility. This involved a capital cost of £2.3 million which was greater than average owing to environmental requirements. This would have been necessary irrespective of the relocation from Wisbech.

Driving Tests: Wisbech

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate has been made of the net effect on the costs of  (a) driving instructions and  (b) driving examiners of the relocation of the Wisbech driving test centre to Kings Lynn in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency considered that the impact of relocating Wisbech Driving Test Centre to Kings Lynn on the cost of learning to drive would be negligible. The Agency encourages all learner drivers to be taught to drive safely and confidently on a variety of roads rather than learning to follow test routes. It should not be necessary for learner drivers to travel to Kings Lynn other than for limited pre-test familiarisation.
	As no driving examiners were based at the Wisbech test centre there are no associated costs in relation to their relocation to Kings Lynn.

Departmental Conferences

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) away days and  (b) conferences that took place outside his Department's building attended by civil servants in his Department there have been since its inception; and what the cost was of each.

Michael Wills: The information requested is as follows:
	 Away  d ays
	Away days are held mainly for team building, team training or business development activities. Such events are held off-site where suitable on-site accommodation is unavailable and where the conduct of the event is facilitated by holding it away from day to day business operations.
	The Ministry's accounting systems do not separately quantify expenditure on away days. Costs are subsumed within other categories of expenditure depending on their nature and purpose, for example conferences/events or training. It would incur disproportionate costs to scrutinise all the individual transactions which might potentially include away day costs across the Ministry and its executive agencies.
	All spending on away days is completed in line with the finance policy manual, which is in line with HM Treasury Guidance on Managing Public Money, and states the following for away days and team building events:
	"These occasional events are organised to develop working relationships and achieve Departmental objectives. They are acceptable as long as the event can be justified as good value for money and can demonstrate development achievements. Costs should be reasonable and comparable to the status of the event".
	Wherever possible, taking, into account room availability, size and flexibility, managers are expected to use Ministry or other public sector buildings for team events and away days rather than using external venues.
	 Conferences
	The Ministry's accounting system records a wider category of expenditure-'conferences and events'-for headquarters, Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) and the Tribunals Service. The National Offender Management Service's (NOMS) accounting system records 'conferences and exhibitions' but their procurement system is able to isolate costs that relate to attendance at conferences. Expenditure on this basis since the inception of the Ministry of Justice for headquarters and its four executive agencies (NOMS, HMCS, Tribunals Service and the Office of the Public Guardian) is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial period  £ 
			 2008-09 5,875,035 
			 2007-08 4,256,611 
		
	
	The amounts above exclude expenditure by the 42 local probation boards and trusts within NOMS as this information is held locally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
	As part of the Ministry's ongoing efforts to improve value for money and secure efficiencies, an exercise is currently underway to examine the individual transactions that make up the preceding totals. Work completed to date indicates that some of the expenditure relates more properly to away days or training events rather than conferences. The number of individual conferences attended cannot therefore be determined at this stage.
	The increasingly cross-cutting nature of government policy makes conferences an effective mechanism for bringing together stakeholders in the Government, private and voluntary sectors to promote a joined-up approach to the delivery of front line services.
	Bookings for conferences arid related expenditure must be made through designated contractors employed by the Ministry of Justice to identify venues and accommodation that offers best value for money.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average annual cost is of a place for a young offender at Medway Secure Training Centre.

Maria Eagle: The average annual cost of a place at a Secure Training Centre at 1 April 2009 is £160,000. This is the average annual cost of a place across the Secure Training Centre sector.
	This data has been provided by the Youth Justice Board.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young offenders there are at Medway Secure Training Centre.

Maria Eagle: On 27 November 2009, there were 66 young people held at Medway Secure Training Centre.
	This data has been supplied by the Youth Justice Board and has been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of young offenders have spent  (a) less than three months,  (b) three to six months and  (c) six to nine months at Medway Secure Training Centre in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The following table shows the number of custodial episodes that ended between 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009, who have spent  (a) less than three months,  (b) three to six months and  (c) six to nine months at Medway Secure Training Centre, as a percentage of the total number of custodial episodes in that period.
	An episode refers to a period a young person has spent in custody and it is possible that one young person can start more than one custodial episode in a 12 month period.
	
		
			  Medway Secure Training Centre 
			   Percentage 
			 Less then three months 65 
			 Three to six months 25 
			 Six to nine months 8 
		
	
	These data have been supplied by the Youth Justice Board and have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Prisoners Release

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people convicted of burglary have been released under the End of Custody licence scheme.

Maria Eagle: End of Custody Licence (ECL) was introduced on 29 June 2007. Eligible prisoners serving between four weeks and four years are released on licence a maximum of 18 days earlier than the date they are entitled to be released, subject to meeting strict eligibility criteria and providing a release address. The first report on the operation of the scheme, which included a breakdown of offences, was published on 16 July 2007. Since then, monthly reports have been published on the Ministry of Justice website, at the following address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/endofcustodylicence.htm
	From the start of the scheme to the end of November 2009, 6,795 prisoners had been released on ECL whose original offence had been burglary. Total releases for the same period was 74,669.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Females

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what training is required to be undertaken by prison staff working in women's prisons on self-harm, suicide, domestic abuse and sexual abuse.

Maria Eagle: New prison officers are required to complete a one year foundation training programme, leading to a level 3 National Vocational Qualification in Custodial Care. Training begins with an eight week Prison Officer Entry Level Training course. The training covers the practical skills needed to be a prison officer and includes areas such as interpersonal skills, diversity and self harm/suicide awareness.
	All staff in regular contact with prisoners are required to undertake the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) Foundation course. This is a three-hour course which covers the risks associated with self-harm and suicide, and the ACCT process and documentation.
	In addition, the Women Awareness Staff Programme, designed to raise awareness of as many aspects of working with women prisoners as possible, has been accredited and is now being delivered across the women's estate. The course includes modules on, security; self-harm and abuse. It is the intention that all staff and volunteers working in the women's prison estate will undertake the programme.

Probation

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of Probation Service Staff in  (a) England,  (b) Wales and  (c) Dyfed Powys undertake duties involving face-to-face contact with offenders; and what proportion of their working time is spent in such contact for such staff in each area.

Maria Eagle: The number of probation service staff whose primary task is offender facing work in England is 67.9 per cent., in Wales 63.2 per cent. and in Dyfed-Powys 65.6 per cent. Our statistics record staff undertaking duties involving face to face contact with offenders as: qualified probation officers (PO), probation service officers (PSO), trainee probation officers.
	Delivery structures across probation areas vary as do the requirements of specific roles and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not routinely report on the proportion of working time spent in face to face contact with offenders. In December 2008, the NOMS undertook a snapshot survey over a one week period, based on a small sample of PO and PSO staff. It reported that across England and Wales 24 per cent. of PO/PSO time was spent in direct contact with offenders, 41 per cent. was involved in computer activity and 35 per cent. of time was spent on non-computer-dealing with correspondence, meetings, travel, etc. The equivalent figures in the same survey for Dyfed-Powys were 21 per cent., 45 per cent. and 34 per cent.
	The reporting of the results against only three main headings means that much of the detail is open to interpretation. For example, time spent on computer activity is productive time, in that it involves the production of reports and assessments on individual cases. The recording of risk assessments, which is an integral part of this work, is vital to ongoing case management, and the proper recording of case information is essential to the provision of statistical information which can be deployed to develop NOMS's offender management strategy. Even if only about three-quarters of this time were included as work on cases this gives a picture of more like 54 per cent. of time being spent on work with individual offenders.
	The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is taking action to increase the amount of time staff spend in face-to face contact with offenders.
	NOMS will achieve this by:
	allocating resources to the assessment and management of offenders according to the level of risk;
	the creation of probation trusts;
	a national programme of specifying probation work, and benchmarking performance, to support the effective deployment of front line staff;
	identifying opportunities for reducing bureaucracy and other demands currently placed on front-line staff; and
	expanding the use of video conferencing to reduce the time probation staff spend travelling to interview prisoners.

Probation

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to increase the amount of time probation staff spend in face-to-face contact with offenders.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is taking action to increase the amount of time staff spend in face-to face contact with offenders.
	NOMS will achieve this by:
	allocating resources to the assessment and management of offenders according to the level of risk;
	the creation of probation trusts;
	a national programme of specifying probation work, and benchmarking performance, to support the effective deployment of front line staff;
	identifying opportunities for reducing bureaucracy and other demands currently placed on front-line staff; and
	expanding the use of video conferencing to reduce the time probation staff spend travelling to interview prisoners.

Victim Support Schemes: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has contributed to victim support schemes in Gloucestershire in each year since 1999.

Claire Ward: Prior to 2001 records of specific allocation of how Victim Support decided to allocate Government funding, broken down into areas is not available. The table below gives the detail of the allocation of Government funding to Gloucestershire from 2001 to date.
	
		
			   Total government funding to Victim Support (£ million)  Funding allocated to Gloucestershire (£) 
			 1999-2000 17.5 n/a 
			 2000-2001 18.6 n/a 
			 2001-2002 25.1 268,831 
			 2002-2003 29.3 281,590 
			 2003-2004 30 269,590 
			 2004-2005 30 259,118 
			 2005-2006 30 239,843 
			 2006-2007 30 223,480 
			 2007-2008 35.8 236,935 
			 2008-2009 37 265,220 
			 n/a = Not available

Arrests: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in the London borough of Bexley have been arrested but released without charge in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The arrest statistics held by the Home Office are broken down by police force area only and therefore we cannot provide information for the London borough of Bexley area.
	Statistics relating to the stages after a person has been arrested are not reported to the Home Office, so we are also unable to provide this data.

Closed Circuit Television: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding his Department has given to local authorities in Greater London for the provision of CCTV in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The information is not held centrally. Between 1999 and 2003, £170 million of Home Office capital funding under the Crime Reduction Programme was made available to local authorities for investment in public space CCTV. Around 680 CCTV town centre schemes were set up with this funding. Local authorities benefit from area based grant that allows them to spend on CCTV and other areas as they see fit to support the delivery of local, regional and national priorities in their area.

Crime

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents with notifiable crime codes  (a) 1,  (b) 2,  (c) 4.1,  (d) 4.2,  (e) 4.3,  (f) 4.4,  (g) 4.6,  (h) 4.7,  (i) 4.8,  (j) 4.9,  (k) 4.10,  (l) 5A,  (m) 5B,  (n) 5C,  (o) 8A,  (p) 8D,  (q) 8F,  (r) 8G,  (s) 8H,  (t) 8J,  (u) 8K and  (v) 37.1 which were also monitored under Priority 1 of Public Service Agreement 23 were recorded by each police force in each month since April 2006.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 14 January 2010
	Since 2007-08, the Home Office have reconciled recorded crime data with forces on a quarterly basis but not for months, so only quarterly data is provided. Quarterly data are provided for 2006-07 to 2008-09. Data at police force level for quarters in 2009-10 has not yet been published.
	Data for 2006-07 are broken down by quarter and data are shown in Tables A to D. Similarly, data for 2007-08 are shown in Tables E to H and data for 2008-09 are shown in Tables I to L placed in the House Library.
	Data are in line with data published in October 2009. Updated data will be available after the publication of the next quarterly bulletin on 21 January 2010.

Crime: Nature Conservation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he issues to chief constables on recording crime involving wildlife.

Alan Campbell: The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) is the guidance issued to all police forces in England and Wales on the recording of crime. It has two basic principles, that of a victim focus and consistency of recording.
	The Notifiable Offence List (NOL) is a list of crimes that when they come to the notice of the police (including some wildlife offences) the police have to record using the guidance within NCRS. The police must notify the Home Office of the following wildlife offences:
	Introduction of new species etc. under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 sec. 14 and, Wildlife offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 these being subsumed in a broader other offences category.
	Most wildlife offences are not on the NOL, however cautioning and conviction data on these types of offences are collected by the Ministry of Justice.
	The NOL can be found on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/countrules.html

Crimes of Violence

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of violence against the person  (a) with and  (b) without injury were recorded by each police force in each month since April 2006.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 14 January 2010
	Since 2007-08, the Home Office have reconciled recorded crime data with forces on a quarterly basis but not for months, so only quarterly data is provided. Quarterly data are provided for 2006-07 to 2008-09. Data at police force level relating to quarters in 2009-10 data have not yet been published.
	Data for 2006-07 are broken down by quarter and data are shown in Tables A to D. Similarly, data for 2007-08 are shown in Tables E to H and data for 2008-09 are shown in Tables I to L placed in the House Library.
	Data are in line with the data published in October 2009. Updated data will be available after the publication of the next quarterly bulletin on crime on 21 January 2010.

Departmental Public Consultation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) citizens' juries and  (b) summits have been hosted by his Department since June 2007; on what date each event took place; and which Ministers were present at each event.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office has held one Citizens' Jury to discuss the issues of law and order, crime-fighting and community policing. It was held on 12 September 2007 in Leicester.
	The Home Secretary and Prime Minister attended the event, along with approximately 105 members of the public. The transcript for the event can be found on the Parliament website at:
	http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-0887.pdf
	The Home Office has held no citizens' summits since 2007. However, the Department has held two stakeholder summits. On 20 May 2008 my hon. Friends the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker) (former Home Office Minister), the Member for Cardiff, West (Kevin Brennan) (former DCSF Minister) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) (former FCO Minister) attended a summit with stakeholders from the drugs sector to discuss the current levels of cocaine use and its impact on individuals and communities. On 4 February 2009 the former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Jacqui Smith) attended a Burglary summit with voluntary, private and public sector stakeholders to discuss what more could be done to protect vulnerable people against burglary.

Departmental Public Consultation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizen juries or summits have been hosted by his Department since October 2008; on what date each event took place; and which Ministers were present at each event.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 14 January 2010
	The Home Office has not held any Citizens' Juries since October 2008.
	The Home Office has held no Citizens' summits since October 2008. However, the Department has held one stakeholder summit. On 4 February 2009 the former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Jacqui Smith) attended a Burglary summit with voluntary, private and public sector stakeholders to discuss what more could be done to protect vulnerable people against burglary.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many colleges which have had tier 4 sponsor licences revoked are registered with Companies House.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 18 January 2010
	As at 14 January, 13 education providers have had their Tier 4 sponsorship licence revoked, of which 11 are registered with Companies House.

Entry Clearances: Thailand

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitor visa applications have been made from British missions in Thailand in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those applications have been  (a) accepted and  (b) rejected; and how many have been the subject of appeal.

Phil Woolas: In the 12 month period from October 2008 to September 2009, our Visa Section in Bangkok received 53,419 visit visa applications, refused 4,801 such applications and issued 47,604 visit visas. We are unable to identify from our records those appeals that were received specifically against the refusal of visit visa applications. However, the total number of appeals lodged during this period against Bangkok visa refusals in general was 478.

Independent Safeguarding Authority

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has produced on the obligations of organisations in respect of the vetting of their staff by the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

Meg Hillier: Interim guidance on the Vetting and Barring Scheme including the responsibilities of employers was issued in November 2009. Further guidance will make clear that applications to the scheme will initially be limited to new entrants to regulated activities as defined under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, and thereafter applications should be made on a phased basis. Similar advice will be provided to Criminal Records Bureau Registered Bodies which help manage the application process.

Internet: Privacy

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with  (a) his EU counterparts and  (b) the European Commission on protection of the privacy of UK internet users.

David Hanson: holding answer 12 January 2010
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has had no recent discussions with his European counterparts or the European Commission on the protection of the privacy of UK internet users. However the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) have recently been engaged in discussion on revisions to the e-privacy directive 2002/58/EC as part of the wider Telecommunication Framework discussion as this falls in their remit.

Passports

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts relating to biometric passports have been let; to whom each such contract has been let; for what projects or services each such contract provides; and what the monetary value is of each such contract.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 12 January 2010
	The Home Department has only let one contract specifically in relation to the design and production of biometric Passport Books. A 10 year contract valued at £400 million was awarded to De La Rue Ltd. in July 2009. This contract will replace the existing Passport Book production contract with 3M and is currently scheduled to become operational in the autumn of 2010.

Sexual Offences: Essex

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many referrals to a sexual referral centre were made by  (a) Essex police force and  (b) Essex county council in the latest year for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: This data is not centrally collated.

Ascension Island

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the future financial arrangements for Ascension Island.

Chris Bryant: As Minister with responsibility for the Overseas Territories, I met with the Minister for armed forces on 2 December 2009 to discuss Ascension Island as he indicated in response to the hon. Member's question on this issue on 1 December 2009.
	Discussions are continuing between the Ministers, officials and the Ascension Island government. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded a revenue specialist to review tax arrangements on the island. That review has been completed and the draft report will shortly be considered by the Ascension Island Council and government. The review will contribute to the reform process already in hand to put the finances of Ascension Island government on a sustainable footing.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Equateur province of Western Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Congolese Army (FARDC) have carried out operations in Equateur province against insurgents based in the south near Dongo. The UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC) has supplied logistical support to the FARDC in this. MONUC assistance has been on a conditional basis. The insurgents are still active and have carried out attacks against FARDC in early January 2010. Our assessment is that despite recent successes of the FARDC in reclaiming villages from the insurgents this situation is not over yet. The area is unsafe and we continue to monitor the situation closely.
	Difficult terrain and security concerns have prevented the humanitarian agencies getting access, although some are starting to deploy now, such as the World Food Programme. The UN humanitarian pooled fund is available to agencies which begin work there, last year DflD contributed £35 million to the pooled fund.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries are involved in the training of the Congolese army; how many official languages are used in such training; what assessment he has made of the effect of the number of languages on the effectiveness of the training provided by the UN peacekeeping force in that country (MONUC); and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: 10 countries, including the UK, US and China-and the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC)-are involved in training the Congolese army. Several countries from MONUC assist with training the more notable ones being Pakistan and India. MONUC are also just about to use Tanzanian troops which will train 12 Congolese Army (FARDC) Infantry battalions in the next year. This is part-funded by the UK who provided £400,000 for Barrack Infrastructure Repairs for the training camps.
	We estimate that seven official languages are used in training. We recognise that language differences can hinder co-ordination; to respond to this the UK runs a 'peacekeeping English' course to ensure that the FARDC and MONUC can communicate effectively when working together. So far the UK has trained over 1,000 trainers, who can then go on to disseminate English teaching throughout the FARDC. We have also trained over 40 interpreters.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government has put forward for the reconfiguration of the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) following the expiry of its mandate in May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government have not put forward any new proposals for the reconfiguration of the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). Security Council Resolution 1906 was agreed on 23 December 2009 and requests the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative to produce an Integrated Strategic Framework, covering the roles of the wider UN in the country, by 16 February 2010; and the Secretary-General to carry out a strategic review of MONUC by 1 April 2010.
	The outcomes of these reports and progress on Protection of Civilians, Disarmament Demobilisation Reintegration Resettlement or Repatriation Security Sector Reform and developments in the security situation will provide the basis for discussion of any reconfiguring of MONUC with Security Council partners.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many iPODs have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost.

Chris Bryant: This information is not held centrally and is only available at disproportionate cost.

European Economic and Social Committee

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria the Government uses to select candidates for nomination to serve on Section III of the European Economic and Social Committee.

Chris Bryant: Within Section III, potential UK candidates should be able to demonstrate a detailed, up-to-date level of knowledge and experience in one or more of a number of areas, including, but not limited to, services sectors, small business, research, agriculture, consumer interests, environmental interests, youth experience or sustainable development. This list is not exhaustive. All candidates should be able to contribute effectively to the Committee in promoting UK interests in their chosen field.
	Where possible, the UK delegation as a whole should reflect levels of national diversity. This includes race, religion and belief, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability. It is also desirable that members come from all parts of the UK (although European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) members do not represent regions) and be representative of a wide range of interests and experience.
	Every candidate should have enough time available to prepare for and attend EESC meetings. Delegates are expected to spend at least 60 days a year in Brussels on Committee business, in addition to time spent conducting research and travelling.

Maritime Protection Zone

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what organisations his Department has consulted on the proposed Maritime Protection Zone for the Chagos Archipelago.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has discussed the possibility of establishing a marine protected area (MPA) in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) with a wide range of stakeholders. These include the governments of the United States and Mauritius, other concerned Government Departments, the National Oceanography Centre, the British Geological Survey, non-governmental organisations and other organisations involved in the Chagos Environment Network (including the Chagos Conservation Trust and the Pew Environment Group) and a range of individual scientists and environmentalists. The FCO has consulted those involved in the establishment of other large scale MPAs, in particular the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.
	In order to consult as widely as possible the FCO launched a public consultation on the establishment of an MPA in BIOT on 10 November 2009. The consultation has been brought to the attention of the public in Mauritius and the Seychelles through our high commissions there and the consultation facilitator will be travelling out to Port Louis and Victoria later this month to listen to the views of the Chagossian communities and other stakeholders in Mauritius and the Seychelles. The FCO has also taken steps to draw this consultation to the attention of members of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
	The purpose of the consultation is to seek views more widely from all stakeholders and interested parties to help the Government assess the right option for the future environmental protection of the Territory. The consultation period runs to 12 February 2010.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact there has been between the Minister of State with responsibility for Africa and members of the unity government of Zimbabwe since October 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Minister of State for Africa, Baroness Kinnock, welcomed Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Minister of Regional Integration and International Cooperation, to London on 20 October 2009. Among more general issues, they discussed the Movement for Democratic Change's then recent disengagement from executive engagement with ZANU-PF and Zimbabwe's dialogue with the EU. The Minister has not had the opportunity to have direct contact with other members of the Inclusive Government. The nature of our future engagement with the Inclusive Government is very much dependent on its progress against the Global Political Agreement. The Minister regularly raises Zimbabwe with our international partners, urging the Southern African Development Community states to remain engaged on Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress by the unity government of Zimbabwe in re-drafting that country's constitution since the signing of the Global Political Agreement in September 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: With our international partners we believe that the constitution making process called for in the Global Political Agreement is key to Zimbabwe's recovery. Much of the current imbalance of power is enshrined in the constitution and the constitution making process is an important step towards the next elections. Although the process has slipped from the timetable stipulated by the Global Political Agreement, a parliamentary committee on constitutional reform has been established and training for committee members began on 11 January 2010, in preparation for the period of public consultation.
	The UK is working closely with other donors to support civil society organisations to ensure all communities are aware of the constitutional reform process and properly equipped to feed into it.

Affordable Housing: Nottingham

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on improving social housing in Nottingham North constituency since 1997.

Ian Austin: Unfortunately, it is not possible to disaggregate expenditure on social housing within Nottingham by parliamentary constituency. Total expenditure on stock owned by Nottingham city council across the city for each year since 1997-98 is given in the following table:
	
		
			   Expenditure (£ 000 ) 
			 1997-98 20,858 
			 1998-99 15,506 
			 1999-2000 10,065 
			 2000-01 16,240 
			 2001-02 21,099 
			 2002-03 29,531 
			 2003-04 26,102 
			 2004-05 36,227 
			 2005-06 33,638 
			 2006-07 40,515 
			 2007-08 39,827 
			 2008-09 30,379 
			 2009-10 (planned expenditure) 56,702 
			 Total 376,689 
		
	
	The Government have no data available identifying expenditure by registered social landlords on improvements to properties they own within Nottingham North or the city as a whole.
	There has also been significant investment to deliver new social housing in Nottingham through the National Affordable Housing Programme. Since 2004 Nottingham has received £ 13.3 million to deliver new homes for rent or low cost home ownership including £7 million so far through the current 2008-11 programme.
	The HCA has also funded Nottingham city council to develop a Local Housing Company to deliver an extra 5,000 new homes over the next five years and in 2009, Nottingham city council was successful in a £200 million PFI bid to the HCA to transform the meadows neighbourhood. Both initiatives will provide a mix of social and private affordable housing.

Council Tax: Non-payment

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable has been set for the transfer of arrangements for council tax enforcement from magistrates' courts to county courts; whether any consultation on the transfer will take place; and whether primary legislation will be necessary to enable the transfer to take place.

Barbara Follett: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 2 November 2009,  Official Report, column 758W. No decision has been taken yet about whether to extend the council tax enforcement regime in this way.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many iPODs have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost.

Barbara Follett: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the results from his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the total cost of the survey was.

Barbara Follett: We are still awaiting the full results of the October 2009 CLG staff survey and expect to place these on the CLG website during February 2010. Following publication, we will also place a copy of the results in the Library.
	The supplier for the survey was ORC International which was procured by the Cabinet Office to deliver the first cross-Civil Service People Survey. The people survey replaced all existing staff surveys in the civil service with a single questionnaire.
	This Department is meeting the costs of the survey for all participating CLG Group organisations including the main Department, the Government offices, the Planning Inspectorate, Ordnance Survey and the Fire Service College. To date, the cost of the survey for the CLG Group is £72,000 plus VAT. By procuring a single supplier for staff surveys in 2009-10, the civil service has saved 35 per cent. on the total cost of staff surveys in 2008-09.

Green Belt

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to protect the green belt in  (a) England and  (b) Coventry;
	(2)  what his Department's policy is for the future of the green belt.

Ian Austin: The Government have a continuing commitment to the protection of green belt and its crucial characteristics of openness and permanence. Among the policies set out in PPG2 (Planning Policy Guidance Note 2, "Green Belts") to guide decision-makers is a presumption against allowing inappropriate development on green belt land.
	Only in exceptional circumstances may green belt boundaries be altered. Any proposal for significant change in green belt area has to be made during the preparation of regional strategy. Any essential adjustment of the boundary of a green belt is for the local planning authority to propose as part of the local plan process. The Secretary of State monitors emerging regional strategies and local plans to ensure they are consistent with national policy. Government offices make representations to the independent examinations of draft RSSs and LDFs if the approach proposed is not consistent with PPG2. There are no plans to change the policy set out in PPG2.
	With regard to Coventry, the draft regional spatial strategy has been examined, including the need and justification for green belt adjustments around Coventry. The panel supported the case made in the draft RSS for green belt adjustments. The Secretary of State is currently preparing his proposed changes to the RSS which will be consulted on in due course.
	The Coventry core strategy is currently at examination. The inspector appointed to examine the plan held hearing sessions on green belt matters, and considered evidence to justify the need, or otherwise to release land from the green belt. The hearing sessions ended on 4 December and the inspector's report into the soundness of the document is expected in April 2010.

Local Government Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what rate of local government  (a) cost and  (b) wage inflation his Department has assumed for the purposes of calculating grants under the local government finance settlement for 2010-11.

Barbara Follett: No assumption on the rate of local government cost and pay inflation is made in determining the local government finance settlement. Cost and wage pressures are considered carefully as part of Spending Reviews. Differences in labour and rates costs between areas are reflected in the Area Cost Adjustment.
	Over the three years of the CSR07 settlement period, Government are providing an additional £8.6 billion to local authorities. This is an average 4 per cent. cash increase per year in funding.

Pedestrian Areas: Snow and Ice

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the contribution of Lord Davies of Oldham of 2 February 2004,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column 444, on footpaths and roads: de-icing, whether his Department has provided guidance to local authorities on the personal liability of householders who seek to clear the pavement or highway of ice or snow.

Barbara Follett: This is a matter for Department for Transport as it concerns highway issues. As such it would be for the Department for Transport to issue any advice on clearing pavements that run alongside roads.

Planning Permission

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's dataset Live Tables P109, on development control statistics, whether the data for planning applications which are deemed not to have been granted include applications which have been  (a) refused and  (b) undetermined within the 13 week period.

Ian Austin: Table PI09 shows the number of residential planning decisions, split by major and minor, those that have been granted and those that have been decided within eight weeks (for minor) and 13 weeks (for major).
	Residential planning decisions can either be granted or refused. Therefore the number of decisions not granted is equal to the number refused.
	The table only includes those applications that have been decided. Therefore, applications not granted will include those applications that are undetermined within 13 weeks but which are refused subsequent to this timeframe. Note that the applications decided within a period are not necessarily those that are received within that period.

Political Activities

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 22 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1647W, on political impartiality, if he will place in the Library a copy of the pages from his Department's staff handbook relevant to politically-restricted activity.

Barbara Follett: A copy of the pages of the Department's staff handbook relating to guidance on political impartiality have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Minimum Wage: Preston

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of those resident in Preston have been paid at the national minimum wage rate since its introduction.

Patrick McFadden: Data for earnings is not available at the constituency level because of small sample sizes at this level in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).
	At the Government Office Region level, the lowest available, DTI previously estimated that the number of jobholders that stood to benefit from the April 1999 introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the North West region was 140,000. In 2009 the corresponding BIS estimate for the number of jobholders affected by the uprating of the NMW in the North West region was 134,000.

Partnerships: Company Accounts

John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reasons Companies House made the most recent revisions to its form for limited liability partnerships to change details of a member, LLP288c to LLCH01; and what information may be provided through the revised form which could not be provided before its introduction.

Ian Lucas: Limited liability partnership legislation was changed from 1 October 2009 in line with new legislation brought in for companies (The Companies Act 2006).
	The amended legislation includes new requirements for companies and LLPs. On form LLCHO1 company directors and LLP members are required to provide a service address and residential address, a county or state of usual residence and any former names which have been used in the course of business. There are also different requirements for corporate officer appointments such as their registered number and where they are registered. This means that forms 288c and LLP288c are no longer applicable. Companies House revised the forms to align with changes in the legislation.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the results from his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the total cost of the survey was.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) will publish its October 2009 staff survey results on the DFID website in early March 2010. Following publication we will place a copy of the results in the House Library.
	ORC International carried out the survey. Their services were procured by the Cabinet Office to deliver the first cross-civil service people survey. The people survey replaced all existing staff surveys in the civil service.
	The final cost of the 2009-10 people survey for DFID is expected to be approximately £50,000. By procuring a single supplier for staff surveys in 2009-10, the civil service has saved 35 per cent. on the total cost of staff surveys in 2008-09.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many armoured cars have been purchased with funds from his Department for the use of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza since January 2008; what the total cost was to his Department; how many such vehicles have entered Gaza; how many are stored awaiting permission to enter Gaza; and what the cost to his Department has been to date of such vehicle storage prior to their delivery to Gaza.

Michael Foster: The Department of International Development (DFID) donated three armoured cars to the UN following the conflict in Gaza. These arrived in Israel during January 2009. The UN Relief and Works Agency took responsibility for the clearance of the vehicles into Israel. Two of these vehicles entered Gaza in June 2009. The third car has been transferred, with our agreement, to the World Food programme, which expects to transfer it into Gaza in the next month.
	The cost of the vehicles was approximately £320,000 and DFID has also spent £101, 000 on freight and handling costs. The UN is liaising with the Israeli authorities on storage costs. DFID has not paid any storage costs to date.

EAGA

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding is available to EAGA under the Warm Front scheme to provide emergency assistance to households in which a boiler or central heating system has failed in extreme weather conditions.

David Kidney: Warm Front is not designed to provide an emergency service and therefore no separate funding is provided in this respect. Everyone that applies to Warm Front does so because they are on a low income and/or have a disability. That means that everyone that applies is dealt with as swiftly and efficiently as possible and will be regularly contacted by the scheme manager, EAGA, advising them of the progress of their application. However, an immediate need for heating is met by arranging for temporary heaters to help customers until a more permanent heating installation can be completed.

Children: Nutrition

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken to promote healthy options for children when choosing their lunch at school.

Diana Johnson: In order to help promote healthy options for children when choosing their lunch at school the Government have commissioned the School Food Trust to undertake a wide range of activity.
	The trust supports schools and their catering providers in interpreting and implementing the regulations for school food and has produced guidance and resources concerning the marketing of healthy food.
	In addition, to encourage children to eat healthily, there are a range of activities to help children and parents who want to choose healthier school lunches. These include the "Million Meals" campaign, the "School FEAST" scheme, the "Really Good School Dinner" initiative, MADGe-an on-line tool to allow the development of marketing material and the national programme, "Let's Get Cooking".
	The School Food Trust also provides advice and support to schools which ranges from the procurement and marketing of food, the efficient use of kitchen and dining spaces, the encouragement of stay-on-site policies within schools, as well as a guide to the whole school approach. It also works closely with Healthy School's leads in schools and local authorities; healthy eating is one of the four key themes of the joint DCSF/DH Healthy School Programme.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the results from his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of conducting the survey was.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will be publishing its October 2009 staff survey results on their website in February. Following publication we will place a copy of the results in the Library.
	The supplier for the (DCSF) staff survey in October 2009 was ORC International who were procured by the Cabinet Office to deliver the first cross-Civil Service People Survey. The people survey replaced all existing staff surveys in the civil service with a single questionnaire.
	The cost of the 2009/10 People Survey for (DCSF) was £27,000. By procuring a single supplier for staff surveys in 2009/10 the civil service has saved 35 per cent. on the total cost of staff surveys in 2008/09.

Health Education: Nutrition

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to promote healthy eating by children.

Diana Johnson: Healthy eating is an important part of good physical and mental health and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Ensuring that children, young people and their families have the information, advice and support they need to make healthier choices in what they eat is a long-standing priority for the Government. Our approach is not just about giving advice, but also about providing healthy food in schools and other settings. We have made significant progress in the past 12 months to build on the work to date.
	Statutory nutritional standards for lunches provided in schools came into force for maintained primary schools in September 2008 and for maintained secondary and special schools in September 2009: this means that lunches provided in all maintained schools must now meet these standards. Food served in other parts of the school day or from vending machines must also meet statutory food-based standards. The proportion of children having school lunches has started to rise and parents can be confident that their children are eating a healthy, nutritious meal at school. The School Food Trust, as the Department's delivery partner, is working with schools and local authorities to promote and encourage take up of school meals, and we continue to ensure that pupils aged four to six receive a piece of fruit or vegetable every day through the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. Cookery classes are already part of the curriculum in primary schools and pupils in key stage 3 can now take up the offer of the Licence to Cook programme: all pupils now get the chance to learn to cook healthy meals. The highly successful cookbook Real Meals-Simple cooking that tastes great, produced by this Department and made available to all year 7 pupils, was updated and re-launched in December 2009. This new edition contained a wider range of recipes, and accompanied by the Real Meals-cold food cookbook, also produced by the DCSF, which provides recipes for picnics and days out. All recipes were produced by the British Nutrition Foundation and meet the required nutrient standards. In addition, 99 per cent. of schools are now participating in the Healthy Schools Programme and healthy eating is a core criterion for achieving healthy school status.
	We are also helping parents gain the skills they need to prepare and cook healthy meals at home. In January 2010 we began piloting the "train-the-trainer programme" Cook4Life 'Cooking with Families' in the North West and South West regions. This pilot will give Sure Start Children's Centre staff the skills to enable them to run cookery courses in their centres which will help parents learn food preparation and cookery skills for use at home. We have also funded the Health, Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young (HENRY) programme to disseminate good practice in Sure Start Children's Centres on healthy eating and exercise, which is being well received.
	In January 2009 we launched the social marketing campaign Change4Life to encourage us all to eat well, move more and live longer. Over 415,000 families have joined the campaign and receive information and advice tailored to their needs. Change4Life is primarily aimed at families with children aged between five and 11. To support families with younger children, in October 2009 we published a Change4Life Early Years toolkit for practitioners working with younger children. Start4Life, launched in January 2010, provides authoritative and up to date advice to pregnant women and parents of babies and children up to two years old on breastfeeding, introducing infants to solid food and active play so that babies can have the best start in life.
	We have also revised the Birth to Five, the NHS guide to becoming a parent and finding practical help and support on various issues, including diet and nutrition for children, which is given to all mothers. There is also an online version which features interactive tools and videos for new parents.
	Health visitors and other community nurses and practitioners play a vital role in helping to ensure that children and young people benefit from good nutrition. Through the Healthy Child Programme for the first five years of life health visitors and others promote exclusive breastfeeding, the introduction to solid foods and the development of good eating habits, such as the importance of eating fruit and vegetables as promoted through the Five a Day campaign from infancy onwards. In October 2009 new guidance for the important review which takes place after a child's second birthday as part of the programme was published. Also in October 2009 the Secretaries of State for Children, Schools and Families and Health launched the Healthy Child Programme for five to 19 year olds to stakeholders. This programme also emphasises the importance of healthy eating.
	We are also helping families make healthier choices in the food they buy in shops and restaurants through the work the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are taking forward with industry to implement the Healthy Food Code of Good Practice as set out in Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: One Year On. In addition, we are continuing to work with the Association of Convenience Stores to roll out a project across England to promote fruit and vegetables in stores in deprived areas, using the Change4Life brand.

Members: Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood's letter of 29 October 2009 to the Financial Secretary on Asghar Khan, Treasury PO Ref: 3/11525/2009.

Stephen Timms: I have replied to the right hon. Member.

Non-Domestic Rates: Garages and Petrol Stations

Paul Beresford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the amount of revenue from petrol retail outlets which the new business rate will generate in 2010-11.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	No estimates of the revenue from petrol stations' business rates or that of any other category of hereditament have been made. Business rates bills contain not only transitional relief but all other reliefs, some determined at the billing authorities' discretion. It is therefore, not possible to estimate the bill of a hereditament, and, consequently, that of any category of hereditaments.
	For the purpose of modelling the 2010 Transitional Relief scheme, the Notional Chargeable Amount (NCA) was calculated. The NCA for a given year is the product of the rateable value and that year's small business multiplier. The NCA is then compared to the previous year's reference value increased by the caps. The minimum of these two values was used as a proxy for the bill after transition but before all other reliefs. Details on the methodology and assumptions used can be found on page 49 of the 'The transitional arrangements for the non-domestic rating revaluation 2010 in England' consultation document. These include an assumption of zero inflation, which does not reflect the latest information available. There is also an adjustment for appeals.
	A copy of the consultation document is available at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/nndrrevaluation2010
	The five-yearly business rates revaluations make sure each business pays its fair contribution and the 2010 revaluation will not raise a single extra penny for Government. Over a million properties will see their business rate liabilities come down as a result of revaluation.
	In the last five years, alongside rising petrol prices and increasing turnover, the rents paid on many petrol filling stations has grown. It is only fair to all ratepayers this is reflected in rate bills. The Government have put in place a £2 billion relief scheme to limit the impact on business properties facing increases, which means that in 2010-11 no petrol station will see its rates liability rise as a result of revaluation by more than 3.5 per cent. for small properties and 11 per cent. for large properties.

Origin Marking: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2010,  Official Report, column 768W, on imports: Israel, whether the issuing authority is different to the authority providing the original designation of origin.

Stephen Timms: There are a number of regional Customs offices in Israel which are authorised to authenticate preference certificates. When a claim to preference is verified, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) write to the Tax Authority in the Israeli Ministry of Finance. That authority contains the Israeli Customs Department and is responsible for collating, checking and responding to verification inquiries. Therefore, while the office responsible for verifying a particular preference certificate may be different to the one which issued it, the issuing and verifying authorities are the same.

Taxation: Unleaded Petrol

Paul Beresford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of taxation was on standard 95 RON unleaded petrol in July 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The main fuel duty rate in July 2008 was 50.35 pence per litre. Historic duty rates are available on HM Revenue and Customs' UK Trade Info website at:
	https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulloil

Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's eLearning guide for its geographical information system.

Ian Pearson: The VOA is in the process of developing an e-Learning programme for its geographical information system. The planned date for completion of the programme is June 2010, after which a copy will be deposited in the Library of the House.